Development of policies, sustainability manual, procedures related to MSPO.

Participants: 1. Plantation company/estate with the size of 40.47 ha - 1,000 ha and palm oil mill in Sabah 2. Those who do not have any experience in management system certification or other sustainability certification or zero knowledge in developing MSPO documentation.

Closing date for registration: 8 May 2018.

Seats are limited.

Apply:

Please email En. Mohd Hasbollah Suparyono at hasbollah@mpocc.org.my or you may call him during business hours at 03-21810192 / 014-6711565 for further info.

This event was attended by more than 3,000 participants mainly comprising of oil palm smallholders and industry players. During this event, various exhibitions related to sustainability efforts in palm oil industry by Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC), Malaysian Palm Oil (MPOC) and Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) were held. Parents and family members took the opportunity to participate in various fun and interactive activities.

The programme held in conjunction with “Program Jelajah MSPO” was celebrated on 1 May aimed at increasing the awareness and disseminate important information on MSPO Certification as well as provide a platform for interaction relating to MSPO implementation.

The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme will be made mandatory by December 2019. The timeline for implementation of mandatory MSPO certification will be implemented in three stages. Plantation companies that are already certified under other sustainability schemes will have to obtain MSPO certification by 31 December 2018. Other companies without any sustainability certification will have to obtain MSPO certification by June 30, 2019 while smallholders, both independent and organised, need to obtain MSPO certification by December 31, 2019. To increase the uptake of MSPO certification, the Malaysian government has made available financial assistance to oil palm smallholders, growers and processing facilities. The incentives ranges from 30% to 100% of the total MSPO audit cost.

As of March 2018, the total planted area that has been certified under the MSPO Certification Scheme is 802,623.56 ha. The certified area includes 792,274.03 ha under plantation companies, 19,110.12 ha under organised smallholders, and 10,349.53 ha under independent smallholders. In addition, a total of 78 palm oil mills have also been MSPO-certified.

Participants were encouraged to contact MPOCC for more information on the implementation of the MSPO Certification at www.mpocc.org.my or your nearest MPOB TUNAS office at www.mpob.gov.my for more information on support for smallholder and incentives for MSPO Certification.

MPOCC and the Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (SOPPOA) will be co-organising a series of 3 Technical Workshops on MSPO Certification Scheme for Estates and Plantations in Sarawak. The workshops will be held on 23rd April 2018 in Miri, 25th April 2018 in Sibu and on 27th April, in Kuching. During the workshops, the participants will learn from SOPPOA members that have obtained MSPO Certification, specifically with regard to “Safety & Health”, “Biodiversity & Environment Components”, “Legality Requirements”, and “Social Components” of the MSPO Standards requirement. MPOCC and MPOB shall share on the “MSPO Standard requirement and incentives” and Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) for palm cultivation”

As of March 2018, the total planted area that has been certified under the MSPO Certification Scheme is 802,623.56 ha. The certified area includes 792,274.03 ha under plantation companies, 19,110.12 ha under organised smallholders, and 10,349.53 ha under independent smallholders. In addition, a total of 78 palm oil mills have also been MSPO-certified.

Please contact MPOCC for more information on the implementation of the MSPO Certification at www.mpocc.org.my or your nearest MPOB TUNAS office at www.mpob.gov.my for more information on support for smallholder and incentives for MSPO Certification.

Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Scheme (MPOCC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Sanath Kumaran as acting CEO of MPOCC beginning 1st April 2018, taking over from Mr. Harnarinder Singh who had completed his two and half term on 31st March 2018.

2. Dr Sanath Kumaran age 51, has 21 years of experience in oil palm sector ranging from oil palm plantation management, agronomic practices, auditing, dispute resolution, stakeholder engagement to consulting and sustainability certification. He graduated with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from Universiti Pertanian Malaysia in 1990 and embarked his career as a Trainee Assistant Manager with Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd., before moving to Golden Hope Plantations Bhd. as an Agronomist. After several years in the plantations, he moved to further his studies to obtain his Master of Philosophy (Environmental Management). He then joined WWF-Malaysia and Wetlands International for a duration of 10 years, working on many projects related to certification, protected area management, hydrology, wildlife assessment and wetlands management. After completing his PhD, he worked as a consultant supporting many oil palm and forestry companies to become certified in Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Cambodia. Prior to joining MPOCC, he served RSPO as the Head of Impacts and currently holds the position of Senior Manager with MPOCC.

3. MPOCC is grateful to Mr. Harnarinder Singh, the first CEO of MPOCC, for his invaluable support and contribution in guiding MPOCC in developing and implementing the MSPO Certification Scheme. MPOCC takes this opportunity to wish Mr. Harnarinder and his family all the best in all their future endeavours.

4. The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme will be made mandatory by December 2019. The timeline for implementation of mandatory MSPO certification will be implemented in three stages. Plantation companies that are already certified under other schemes such as the RSPO and ISCC will have to obtain MSPO certification by December 31, 2018. Other companies without any sustainability certification will have to obtain MSPO certification by June 30, 2019 while smallholders, both independent and organised, need to obtain MSPO certification by December 31, 2019. To spur the uptake of MSPO certification, the Malaysian government has made available financial assistance to oil palm smallholders, growers and processing facilities. The incentives ranges from 30% to 100% of the total MSPO audit cost.

5. As of March 2018, the total planted area that has been certified under the MSPO Certification Scheme is 802,623.56 ha. The certified area includes 792,274.03 ha under plantation companies, 19,110.12 ha under organised smallholders, and 10,349.53 ha under independent smallholders. In addition, a total of 78 palm oil mills have also been MSPO-certified.

6. Please contact MPOCC for more information on the implementation of the MSPO Certification at www.mpocc.org.my or your nearest MPOB TUNAS office at www.mpob.gov.my for more information on support for smallholder and incentives for MSPO Certification.

The MSPO Certification Scheme was implemented on a voluntary basis since 2015. Beginning May 2017, the Government has agreed to mandate all growers and processing facilities to obtain MSPO certification by December 2019. As of end February 2018, a total of 758,923 hectares of oil palm planted area has been certified which is an increase of 210% from the day its announcement. Also 70 mills have been MSPO certified. This includes 49 clusters of independent smallholders with a planted area of 9,521 hectares, 7 clusters of organised smallholders with a planted area of 19,110 hectares and 260 estates with a planted area of 730,292 hectares. In addition, 70 mills with a capacity of 4,000 metric tonnes per hour has been certified.

Malaysia/Singapore, 5 March 2018 – Wilmar International Limited (Wilmar) and the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) are joining hands to assist all of Wilmar’s suppliers in Malaysia to obtain the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification by the end of 2019. Over 260 mill suppliers covering more than 55% of the entirety of mills in Malaysia are expected to benefit from this partnership.

With underlying mutual sustainability interests, three areas of collaboration have been identified to generate the biggest impact within the two-year timeframe. They are conceptualized to engage, share knowledge and lend support to the suppliers in preparing them for MSPO certification.

Supplier Reporting Tool

Developed by Wilmar, this tool enables suppliers to measure their performance against the MSPO requirements and with Wilmar’s No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) Policy. Wilmar and MPOCC, on the other hand, will be able to identify gaps and deploy resources such as audit assistance more effectively. The tool is expected to be rolled out towards the end of March 2018 to suppliers of Wilmar’s PGEO refinery in Johor Bahru. It will be extended to all of Wilmar’s suppliers in Malaysia by the end of 2018.

Group certification for small and medium suppliers in Sabah

Wilmar has identified several small and medium growers in the Sapi region who are facing challenges in meeting the MSPO requirements. These suppliers will be linked to specific mills and will have access to training and assistance for group certification under the MSPO Certification Scheme.

Sustainable best practices training for suppliers in Sarawak

A roadshow is planned in collaboration with MPOCC to assist on capacity building for suppliers in Sarawak to adopt sustainable practices including good agriculture practices which forms part of MSPO requirements.

Mr Jeremy Goon, Chief Sustainability Officer at Wilmar said, “We have always believed that working together with the different actors across the supply chain is crucial in transforming the palm oil industry. With MPOCC, our collective effort will hopefully pave the way forward for a sustainable palm oil industry in Malaysia that includes smallholders benefiting from higher productivity, yields and income. We also see this as a step towards higher compliance and fulfilling Wilmar’s commercial policies as well as meeting demands from consumers globally for certified sustainable palm oil.”

Datuk M. Nagarajan, Chairman of MPOCC, said, “MPOCC welcomes the initiative by Wilmar towards promoting and sourcing from MSPO certified entities in the supply chain. In addition, the initiative by Wilmar will also encourage other major plantation companies to extend their cooperation by bringing on board their suppliers towards meeting mandatory MSPO certification by end 2019. We believe this will further enhance the positive image of certified sustainable palm oil from Malaysia to the global markets.”

ABOUT WILMAR’S SUSTAINABILITY

As a leading agribusiness group, Wilmar recognises we have a fundamental role to play in developing quality products required by the world while ensuring a responsible and sustainable manner of production. We adopt a holistic approach to sustainability that is fully integrated with our business model. Guided by the philosophy that our business must enhance stakeholder value while minimising our environmental footprint, our business practices are aligned with universally acceptable social and environmental standards. Wilmar’s No Deforestation, No Peat and No Exploitation policy underpins our aspiration to make a positive impact and drive transformation across the palm oil industry.

For more information, go to www.wilmar-international.com/sustainability.

ABOUT MPOCC

To support the development and implementation of the MSPO Certification Scheme, the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) was established in 2014. MPOCC is an independent non-profit organisation incorporated as a company under the Malaysian Companies Act, 1965.

The Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) is responsible for the development and operation of the MSPO Certification Scheme, which began operation in October 2015. MPOCC is governed by a Board of Trustees with representation from industry, government, academia, research and development institutions, non-governmental organisations, smallholder’s organisations and civil society.

MSPO Certification Scheme

The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme is the national scheme in Malaysia for oil palm plantations, independent and organised smallholdings, and palm oil processing facilities to be certified against the requirements of the MSPO Standards. The MSPO Certification Scheme allows for oil palm management certification and supply chain certification and provides for:

• development of certification standards

• accreditation requirements and notification of certification bodies

• application by potential clients for certification audits

• supply chain traceability requirements

• guidelines for auditing

• peer reviewing of audit reports

• issuance of logo usage licenses

• procedures for handling of complaints.

The MSPO Certification Scheme that has been implemented since January 2015 on a voluntary basis will now be implemented on a mandatory basis by December 2019. Plantation companies that are already certified under other schemes such as RSPO and ISCC will have to obtain MSPO certification by 31 December 2018. Other companies without any certification will have to obtain MSPO certification by 30 June 2019. Smallholders, both independent and organised, need to obtain MSPO certification by 31 December 2019.

To spur the uptake of MSPO certification, the Malaysian government has made available financial assistance to smallholders, growers and processing facilities. This is a pledge by the government to facilitate the implementation of MSPO certification and help reduce the cost of obtaining MSPO certification. MSPO certification is implemented nationwide and forms the basis for the branding of Malaysian palm oil in the future as being sustainable, healthy and safe.

Kuching: The Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) held the Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) Forum: The Way Forward, Sarawak on 27 January 2018 at The Waterfront Hotel in Kuching. The CSPO Forum Sarawak is a continued effort by MPOCC to hold the event regionally after the successful holding of the inaugural CSPO Forum at KLCC recently in November 2017 in conjunction with the MPOB International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC) 2017. The half-day forum attracted more than 300 participants made up largely of oil palm smallholders and plantation owners. The discussions evolved around the recent developments in the implementation of mandatory sustainability certification for the palm oil sector under the MSPO Certification Scheme, with particular reference to Sarawak.

Sarawak has the second largest oil palm planted area in Malaysia, and produced 4.1 million tonnes of crude palm oil in 2017. “The MSPO certification process demonstrates Malaysia’s commitment towards the production of certified sustainable palm oil”, said the Assistant Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Sarawak, Mr. Roland Sagah when delivering his keynote address at the opening of the Forum.

Four presentations were made at the Forum by MPOCC, the Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (SOPPOA), SIRIM QAS International Sdn. Bhd. and WWF-Malaysia, followed by a panel discussion during which the panelists discussed matters relating to issues and challenges in implementing the MSPO Certification Scheme, the perspective of NGOs in supporting good agriculture practices, and shared field auditing experiences.

By the end of 2017, the total MSPO certified planted area has increased significantly, from 221,322 ha at the end of 2016 to 518,794 ha by December 2017, an increase of 135%. Furthermore, the total number of MSPO certified mills has increased from 21 mills in 2016 to 50 mills by the end of December 2017.

MPOCC as the governing body of the MSPO Certification since 2016 has been using the MSPO Standards (MS2530:2013 series) under the Scheme, to certify oil palm plantations, independent and organised smallholders, and palm oil mills. MPOCC strongly feels that the time is right to raise the profile of the MSPO Standards and conduct a baseline assessment and gap analysis against international sustainability requirements, in light with the recent developments in the production of certified sustainable palm oil for key markets.

To assess the robustness of the MSPO Standards against other international standards, MPOCC has decided to match them against the ISCC sustainability requirements, European regulations and further assessment criteria. To conduct this exercise, MPOCC has decided to engage Meo Carbon Solutions GmbH (MCS), an independent German consulting company with specialization in renewable resources, sustainability, certification and benchmarking of sustainability standards to carry out a short-term project. This baseline assessment and gap analysis will be done over a three-month period, with the aim of strengthening the MSPO Standards in line with globally accepted practices and requirements on sustainability. The approach taken will involve the mapping of the MSPO and ISCC sustainabilty requirements, identification of equivalent criteria as well as gaps in both the schemes, and presenting a proposal to further strengthen the MSPO Principles, Criteria and Indicators for oil palm certification. The outcome of this assessment exercise will contribute significantly towards providing useful input into the forthcoming review of the MSPO Standards that is expected to begin in the early part of this year 2018.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd (KLK) said all its local upstream operations were certified as compliant with Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standards at the end of December 2017.

The certification was received a year ahead of the mandatory timeline for producers that already have Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification.

“We are pleased that we are able to achieve this feat in a short span of 6 months, it's our people in each operating centre who make the difference and I appreciate the concerted efforts and commitments of all parties involved to continuously uphold good agricultural practices, as well as the sustainability practices,” said its chief executive officer Tan Sri Lee Oi Hian.

Besides the MSPO, KLK is also undergoing certification for other standards for palm oil, including RSPO, Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) and International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC).

The MSPO standards provide general principles for the implementation, establishment and improvement of the operational practices of a sustainability system incorporated in Malaysia to ensure the sustainability of palm oil, which currently covers the oil palm industry supply chain comprising independent and organised smallholders, plantations and palm oil mills.

Last year, Japan emerged as Malaysia’s fourth largest trading partner in the agricultural commodity sector, behind China, the US, and India.

"In the first 10 months of this year, we've shipped RM8.04 billion worth of agricultural products over to Japan, 14.5 per cent more than RM7.03 billion, for the same period a year ago," Mah said.

During their visit to Nisshin OilliO Group and KAO Corp’s facility and museum in Japan, Mah and his delegation gained an insight into Japanese companies’ commitment towards usage of sustainably-produced palm oil.

Japan is the world's third largest consumer of rubber, behind China and the US, consuming 1.7 million tonnes per year.

There are currently more than 30 Japanese companies in Malaysia manufacturing rubber related products.

The Minister encouraged the Japanese rubber community to increase their investment in Malaysia, citing opportunities for greater usage of technologically advanced products such as EKOPRENA and PUREPRENA.

“We started MSPO in 2015, since then, there has been a number of new developments, such as the greenhouse gas emission, haze and fire as well carbon saving,” he said.

“All the new developments will be factored in the review,” he told Malaysian journalists on the sidelines of the European Palm Oil Conference on Thursday.

Plantation companies that are already Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certified must obtain MSPO certification by Dec 2018 while companies without RSPO certification will be given more time to obtain the certification, which is by June 30, 2019.

Independent and organised smallholders will be given the longest grace period of up to Dec 31, 2019 to obtain certification.

To accelerate the uptake of MSPO certification, US$35 million would be provided by the government as incentives to facilitate MSPO certification.

These incentives are extended to plantations, smallholders and processing facilities.

With the MSPO certification, harvesting and shipping would be traceable, giving importers and consumers the assurance that the oil is authentic, sustainably produced and non-Genetically Modified Organisms.

So, the MSPO is not the only one (to be reviewed), he said, pointing out the fact that even the RSPO certification, which was started 14 years ago, was still undergoing an evolving process.

“What more MSPO, it’s just five-years old. The industry has subscribed to the laws of the country. It is a matter of upgrading to meet international requirements,” he explained.

Asked if MSPO would go through an annual review, Nagarajan said, usually standards go through reviews every five years.

“Sometimes standards are reviewed to put in new developments and in the last five years there has been new developments in terms of climate change.

“Such developments warrant a review,” he said, reiterating that the certification was a journey that evolved over the years and was not something that can be done overnight. — Bernama

The 1st Meeting of the TWC (MSPO) on 10 July 2017 ended with the outcome to move forward by forming an Experts Working Group (EWG) to develop the MSPO SCCS. The objective of the development of the supply chain standard is to strengthen the MSPO Scheme as well as provide the palm oil downstream industry with sustainability certification which will allow them to make a claim that their sustainable products originate from sustainably managed plantations.

The 1st Meeting of the EWG on MSPO SCCS was held on 21 July 2017. The EWG members were represented by eight organisations, including the MBA, MEOMA, PORAM, POMA, MAPA, MPOB, SOPPOA and EMPA. The meeting also focused on the proposed timeline for the development of the MSPO SCCS.

On 4 August 2017, the 2nd Meeting of the EWG on MSPO SCCS was held, which further elaborated on the MSPO SCCS Draft 1 based on the summarised comments received from the TWC(MSPO) members, namely DOPPA, WWF, SEPA, SOPPOA, MBA, MPOA, MEOMA and PORAM.

The 3rd Meeting of the EWG on MSPO SCCS was held on 23-24 November 2017. The meeting discussed the input received from the first public comment for the MSPO SCCS Draft 1. The discussion resulted in the consolidation of the MSPO SCCS Draft 2, which was then endorsed by the TWC (MSPO) at its 3rd meeting held on 19 December 2017.

BRUSSELS: Malaysian delegates comprising of members from organisations including MPIC, MPOB, MPOC, MPOCC and Media Prima, as well as the Malaysian Ambassador in Brussels H.E. Dato’ Hasnudin Hamzah, attended the EPOC 2017 that was also held on 23 November 2017 in Brussels, Belgium. At the event, MPIC Secretary General, Datuk K. Yogeesvaran delivered a keynote address to the participants. MPOCC Chairman, Datuk M. Nagarajan also made a presentation on Inclusive Sustainable Palm Oil Policies in Malaysia where he explained about the Malaysian palm oil policies, its commitments and plans.

The half-day event was attended by some 350 participants not only from Malaysia, but also from Mexico, Singapore, Germany, China, India, Indonesia, and Russia. The Forum was designed to discuss the recent developments in the implementation of mandatory national sustainability certification for the Malaysian palm oil sector dubbed MSPO Certification Scheme. Discussions were focus on certified sustainable palm oil and certification schemes, adopting national certification standards in the local and global context, addressing emerging challenges, and exploring opportunities to further strengthen the palm oil sector. Key opinion leaders were present to deliver presentations on:

Latest developments on how the industry is adopting emerging national standards and their market implicationsNGO perspective on sustainability certification schemesPotential collaboration between sustainability certification systemsExperiences from the field on auditing entities for sustainability certification

Meanwhile, the Forum has a total of 5 paper presentations namely, ‘How Industry is Adopting to Emerging National Standards’ by Tang Men Kon from Sime Darby Plantation, ‘Smallholder Certification: Preparedness, Pitfalls, Prices and Pay-Offs’ by Sheila Senathirajah from Wild Asia, ‘Perspective on the MSPO Certification Scheme’ by Benjamin Loh from WWF Malaysia, ‘Auditing Entities for Sustainability Certification: Experience of a Certification Bodies’ by Ruzita Abd Gani from SIRIM QAS International and ´Collaboration & Cooperation Between Sustainability Certification Systems’ by Andreas Feige from ISCC SYSTEM GMBH.

The panelist contributed ideas on MSPO on three thematic areas; benchmarking MSPO as an international standard, meeting the challenge of mandatory MSPO by 31 December 2019 and ideas on supporting smallholders to achieve MSPO certification.

The CSPO Forum was one of the MPOCC continual effort to create awareness and promote the uptake of MSPO certification scheme among the palm oil industry. The CSPO Forum will be an annual event for MPOCC which will create a platform for various stakeholders of the palm oil industry to share knowledge and experiences in implementing sustainability certification. MPOCC hoped that this event will be useful for the adoption of MSPO by the palm oil industry and implementation of MSPO thus will further enhance the image of the Malaysian palm oil industry, improve competitiveness, and form the basis for the branding of Malaysian palm oil.

The Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council ( MPOCC) views with concern the statement by the Sabah Forestry Department Director, YBhg Datuk Sam Mannan on Sabah State’s approach in adopting RSPO certification, which was published by The Edge Financial Daily on 6 November 2017. In addition, the article mentions that the State Government will not bow to federal pressure to follow Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification.

2. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a business to business arrangement and voluntary in nature. RSPO certification has been implemented since 2004.

3. MSPO is a national certification scheme developed taking into account domestic laws and regulations, and best practices relating to sustainable production of palm oil. It was initially implemented on a voluntary basis since January 2015. In this context, taking into account the growing demand for certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) in major importing markets, the Government on 18 May 2017 announced that MSPO certification will be made mandatory by December 2019. Implementation of MSPO certification will further enhance the image of the Malaysian palm oil industry, improve competitiveness, enhance the welfare of the growers, particularly the smallholders, and form the basis for the branding of Malaysian palm oil.

4. To facilitate the implementation of MSPO certification, the Government had established the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) in 2015 to develop and operate the MSPO Certification Scheme. In addition, the Government will provide incentives to defray the cost of certification. In the case of smallholders, the incentive covers 100% of the cost of certification. It is estimated that close to RM150 million will be provided as incentives towards ensuring MSPO certification by oil palm plantations and smallholders, and processing facilities by December 2019.

5. The Government will also continue to promote MSPO in major markets to ensure its recognition and facilitate market accessibility. This will address the demand for certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) in major markets, including the European Union (EU) and United States.

6. MPOCC will continue to engage all the relevant stakeholders in the implementation of MSPO certification, taking into account that MSPO is the national standard for the palm oil industry. Currently, 268,600 hectares have been MSPO certified, with a set target to certify 570,000 ha by the end of December 2017.

25 October 2017, Putrajaya: A 2-day Training Course for Peer Reviewers was held in Bangi, Putrajaya with some 40 peer reviewers registered with MPOCC attended the training session that was held for the second time under the MSPO Certification Scheme operated by MPOCC, this year.

The objective of the training course was to provide a better understanding of the MSPO Standards and auditing procedures, as well as the scope and role of peer reviewers in the certification process. Peer reviewing adds value to the audit report prepared by the auditors, thus inadvertently enhancing the credibility of the scheme.

Providing training to peer reviewers is part of MPOCC’s efforts to increase the number of peer reviewers to cater for the increasing demand for MSPO certification by the palm oil industry players over the coming years.

Through the completion of the two training courses this year, MPOCC has exceeded the initial targets of peer reviewers from 50 to 70 peer reviewers who are experts in various fields related to the oil palm industry in Malaysia.

For next year, MPOCC hopes to train many more experts to cater for the huge number of peer reviewers needed for the implementation of mandatory MSPO certification over the coming years.

To become a peer reviewer, an individual must have a minimum of 7 years of experience in oil palm management or expertise related to various aspects of oil palm management, have the necessary knowledge and work experience to assess adequacy of audit reports, a good understanding of the certification process under the MSPO Certification Scheme and the MSPO Standards, have been trained by MPOCC on the requirements of the MSPO Certification Scheme, shall not have provided consultancy or similar services to the management unit concerned at least three years prior to the audit as well as have no financial, trade or business interest with the management unit being audited or likely to be audited.

Such training course also aims to equip the peer reviewers with overall knowledge of the methodology and skills required for conducting reviews, and technical understanding of the MSPO Standards.

The peer review process is an important and integral part of the certification process as the role of a peer reviewer as an independent expert is to review the audit report prepared by a certification body (CB) for a second opinion on the level of compliance of the management unit concerned against the requirements of the MSPO standard used.

For evaluating each audit report (for Stage 2 and Recertification Audits), two peer reviewers are appointed by the CB, based on the issues raised during the audit of the management unit.

Peer reviewers have to confirm that the audit team has carried out an objective and professional audit against the MSPO standard, investigated the sources of data and avenues of enquiry, arrived at appropriate conclusion and recommendation based on available audit evidence and findings as well as to ensure that the audit team has prepared a concise and comprehensive audit report before the MSPO certificate is awarded.

On the first day of the training course, a number of modules were presented, including Competency Requirements for the Accreditation of CBs Operating Oil Palm Management (OPM) Certification, Peer Review Process Requirements for CBs Operating OPM Certification, stakeholders’ consultation requirements during OPM Certification audits, elements of a comprehensive report, certification process and auditing procedures, role of peer reviewers as well as report writing methodology.

On the second day, modules on MSPO Standards and ethical responsibilities of peer reviewers were presented along with workshop activities for the participants.

Participants are expected to understand the background and requirements of the MSPO Certification Scheme, certification process and auditing procedures, scope and role of peer reviewers as stipulated in the document Peer Review Process Requirements for Certification Bodies Operating Oil Palm Management Certification under the MSPO Certification Scheme, as well as equip themselves with a comprehensive understanding of the Principles, Criteria, and Indicators of the MSPO Standards used.

Basically, such training for peer reviewers is to enhance their competency to ensure that the audit report has the necessary factual evidence content to act as the basis for the award of the MSPO certificate to the management unit that has been audited.

Selangor: Academic Research on Palm Oil Sustainability (ARPOS) Network invited MPOCC to deliver a keynote address entitled ̒Research and Development Needs to Adopt MSPO Sustainability Standards in Malaysia’ during their second Annual General Meeting at Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi. ARPOS Network was established with the aim of enhancing inter-university collaboration and strengthening the position of Malaysian academic research on palm oil sustainability. The ARPOS Network focuses on multi-disciplinary and applicable academic research within environmental and socio-economic aspects of palm oil production.

In line with the Government’s commitment towards ensuring mandatory implementation of MSPO certification for the palm oil industry by December 2019, MPOCC is continuously carrying out outreach and engagement activities to raise the awareness of the stakeholders regarding the requirements of the MSPO standards.

The event was attended by some 40 members and associated members from ARPOS Network. MPOCC had a very fruitful engagement with ARPOS Network members regarding MSPO certification especially the need for more research on oil palm sustainability to further support the development MSPO certification. This is in tandem with the scheduled revision of MSPO standards by 2018.

Among the issues raised during the engagement are as follows:

Are academic and research communities doing enough to support the sustainable development of Malaysian palm oil industry in a coordinated way?The types of research to be prioritised, which can play a stronger role in future development of sustainability in palm oil industry as a whole and towards MSPO specifically; andHow universities and research institutes can play a more central role in supporting sustainable development by working closely with the palm oil industry.

The MSPO is essentially a reflection of an unified code of laws concerning best practices throughout the supply chain, from oil palm planting to palm oil processing.

When one is MSPO-certified, it confirms oil palm cultivation is being carried out on a balanced needs of people, profits and planet.

“MPOB will fund 70 per cent of MSPO audit cost for estates measuring between 40.46ha to 1,000ha while those of a bigger size above 1,001ha, the incentive covers 30 per cent of the audit cost,” he said in a statement here today.

5 September 2017, Melaka: MPOCC once again reached out to the millers’ association particularly, Southern Peninsula Palm Oil Millers’ Association (SPPOMA) by organising a dialogue session with the millers which was held at Swiss-Garden Hotel Melaka.

About 50 participants from 17 mills attended the 1-day dialogue session with the ultimate goal to increase the uptake of MSPO certification nationwide, thus, in line with the government’s commitment towards ensuring mandatory implementation of MSPO certification for the palm oil industry by December 2019.

The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Standards and Certification Dialogue is part of the roadshow series that was held for palm oil millers to drive the uptake of MSPO certification.

The objective of the dialogue was to introduce MPOCC and the operation of the MSPO Certification Scheme. Participant were also informed about smallholder certification initiatives carried out by MPOB, in relation to milling standards.

Participants were briefed on details of the auditing guidelines of the palm oil milling standard, MS2530-4:2013 MSPO Part 4: General principles for palm oil mills.

The informative dialogue was also a platform to provide support for palm oil miller to become fully certified against MSPO certification.

As of June 2017, there are a total of 22 mills MSPO-certified nationwide, which includes 9 mills in Sarawak, 7 in Sabah, 3 in Pahang followed by 2 in Johor and 1 in Negeri Sembilan.

Based on July 2017 statistic by MPOB, there is a total of 453 mills nationwide, which includes 247 mills in Peninsular Malaysia, 127 mills in Sabah and 79 mills in Sarawak with a total capacity in operation of 111,672,200 tonnes per year.

17 August 2017, Serdang: A 2-way forum on MSPO between Institut Kajian Perladangan (IKP) and UPM Agriculture Faculty in collaboration with MPOCC was held at Dewan Pertanian UPM in Serdang.

The forum dubbed ‘Putra Plantation Forum Series 7: Push to Adopt MSPO Sustainability Standards in Malaysia’ was attended by 100 participants from agencies as well as UPM staffs.

Prior to the dialogue, MPOCC Supply Chain senior manager, Dr. Sanath Kumaran made presentation on MPOCC introduction, roles and responsibilities before he briefed on current status of MSPO-certified hectarage nationwide and the MSPO Certification Scheme in detailed.

Arising matters and related issues where mentioned during the dialogue session such as mechanism to counter allegation on Malaysia’s palm oil especially on deforestation and peat land issues, concerns on EU markets, branding of MSPO in the global market positioning, benefits of MSPO as well as auditing processes were among the few topics on discussion.

Towards the end, Sanath calls for support from the industry players especially the estates to spread awareness on making the national mandate a success.

16 August 2017, Selangor: In line with the government’s commitment towards ensuring mandatory implementation of MSPO certification for the palm oil industry by December 2019, MPOCC is continuously carrying out outreach and engagement activities to raise the awareness on the requirements of the MSPO standards. The ultimate goal is to push for the increase in the certified area and processing facilities nationwide.

The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Standard and Certification Dialogue is part of a series of roadshows that was held for palm oil millers to drive the uptake of MSPO certification. The dialogue was organized by MPOCC, held at Holiday Villa Hotel and Conference Centre Subang, Selangor.

The half-day event was attended by some 30 members of The Federation of Palm Oil Millers’ Association of Malaysia (POMA) and other palm oil millers from Selangor, Pahang and Johor.

The objective of the dialogue was to introduce MPOCC and the operation of the MSPO Certification Scheme. Participant were also informed about smallholder certification initiatives carried out by MPOB.

Participants were briefed on details of the auditing guidelines of the palm oil milling standard, MS2530-4:2013 MSPO Part 4: General principles for palm oil mills.

The ultimate goal of the briefing was to provide support for palm oil miller to become fully certified against MSPO certification.

As of June 2017, there is a total of 22 mills that are MSPO-certified nationwide, which include 9 mills in Sarawak, 7 in Sabah, 3 in Pahang followed by 2 in Johor and 1 in Negeri Sembilan.

The meeting was attended by some 25 members representing a balanced multi-stakeholder representation of the oil palm sector.

The TWC(MSPO) is a voluntary multi-stakeholder representation of relevant Malaysian stakeholders or groups with interest in the oil palm sector that comprise of members having relevant expertise nominated by their respective organisation representing eight stakeholder groups from the three regions, Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak.

The 1-day meeting focused on the deliberation of the Terms of Reference (TOR) of TWC(MSPO), discussions on the confirmation of Standards Setting Procedures (SSP) and discussion on the First draft Supply Chain Certification (SCC) Standard to be used under the MSPO Certification Scheme.

Beginning 2016, MPOCC is responsible for the Standards development and review as the Secretariat to the [TWC(MSPO)].

Last month, the First Meeting of TWC(MSPO) was held on 10 July where Steven Yow Thin Chin from Federation of the Palm Oil Millers Association Malaysia (POMA) was appointed as the chairperson of the TWC(MSPO), whereas, Dominic Dambul from EMPA and Napolean Royal Ningkos from DOPPA were appointed as the two vice-chairmen, respectively.

MPOCC, in conjunction with PIPOC 2017, is organising a Satellite Conference, discussing recent developments in the implementation of mandatory national sustainability certification for the Malaysian palm oil sector.

The focus of the CSPO Forum: The Way Forward will be on:

Latest developments on how the industry is adopting emerging national standards and their market implicationsNGO perspective on sustainability certification schemesPotential collaboration between sustainability certification systemsExperiences from the field on auditing entities for sustainability certification

Discussions will focus on certified sustainable palm oil and certification schemes, adopting national certification standards in the local and global context, addressing emerging challenges and exploring opportunities to further strengthen the palm oil sector.

MPOCC is pleased to announce that YBhg Datuk M. Nagarajan has been appointed Chairman of MPOCC beginning 1 July 2017, taking over from YB Datuk Aaron Ago Anak Dagang who had completed his 2-year term on 30 June 2017.

YBhg Datuk Nagarajan comes with broad knowledge and experience in a wide range of matters related to the palm oil industry, having served Ministry of Plantation Industry and Commodity (MPIC) for more than 11 years in various capacities, including as Head of the Palm Oil and Sago Industry Development Division, as Deputy Secretary General and culminating as the Ministry’s Secretary General since 2016. He previously served as the representation of MPIC on the MPOCC Board of Trustees.

MPOCC is grateful to YB Datuk Aaron Dagang for his support and invaluable contribution in guiding the Members of the Board of Trustees in further developing and implementing the MSPO Certification Scheme. MPOCC takes this opportunity to wish Datuk Aaron Dagang and his family all the best in all their future endeavours.

“I am very much looking forward to working with MPOCC and members of the Board of Trustees in pushing forward the MSPO Certification agenda together with all the relevant stakeholders and agencies, towards enhancing the competitiveness of the palm oil industry in Malaysia,” said Datuk Nagarajan.

The meeting was attended by some 30 members representing a balanced multi-stakeholder representation of the oil palm sector.

The TWC(MSPO) is a voluntary multi-stakeholder representation of relevant Malaysian stakeholders or groups with interest in the oil palm sector that comprise of members having relevant expertise nominated by their respective organisation representing eight stakeholder groups from the three regions, Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak.

The 1-day meeting focused on the deliberation of the Terms of Reference (TOR) of TWC(MSPO), discussions on the draft Standards Setting Procedures (SSP) and draft Supply Chain Certification (SCC) Standard to be used under the MSPO Certification Scheme.

The meeting unanimously agreed to the appointment of Steven Yow Thin Chin from Federation of the Palm Oil Millers Association Malaysia (POMA) as the chairperson of the TWC(MSPO), whereas, Dominic Dambul from the East Malaysia Planters’ Association (EMPA) and Napolean Royal Ningkos from Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association (DOPPA) were appointed as the two vice-chairmen, respectively.

In the past, the standard setting process for the MSPO Standards was facilitated by MPOB through the Technical Working Committee for MSPO and the National Committee for MSPO, which were both formed in 2011.

Beginning 2016, MPOCC is responsible for the Standards development and review as the Secretariat to the [TWC(MSPO)].

15 JUNE 2017, KUALA LUMPUR: MPOCC held a 2-day Training Course for Peer Reviewers in Kuala Lumpur on 14-15 June. Some 30 peer reviewers registered with MPOCC attended the training session that was held for the first time under the MSPO Certification Scheme operated by MPOCC.

The objective of the training course was to provide a better understanding of the MSPO Standards and auditing procedures, as well as the scope and role of peer reviewers in the certification process. Peer reviewing adds value to the audit report prepared by the auditors, thus inadvertently enhancing the credibility of the scheme.

Providing training to peer reviewers is part of MPOCC’s efforts to increase the number of peer reviewers to cater for the increasing demand for MSPO certification by the palm oil industry players over the coming years.

For 2017, MPOCC targets to train at least 50 peer reviewers who are experts in various fields related to the oil palm industry in Malaysia. MPOCC hopes to train many more experts to cater for the huge number of peer reviewers needed to meet the targets for implementation of mandatory MSPO certification over the coming years.

To become a peer reviewer, an individual must have a minimum of 10 years of experience in oil palm management or expertise related to various aspects of oil palm management, have the necessary knowledge and work experience to assess adequacy of audit reports, a good understanding of the certification process under the MSPO Certification Scheme and the MSPO Standards, have been trained by MPOCC on the requirements of the MSPO Certification Scheme, shall not have provided consultancy or similar services to the management unit concerned at least three years prior to the audit as well as have no financial, trade or business interest with the management unit being audited or likely to be audited.

Such training course also aims to equip the peer reviewers with overall knowledge of the methodology and skills required for conducting reviews, and technical understanding of the MSPO Standards.

The peer review process is an important and integral part of the certification process as the role of a peer reviewer as an independent expert is to review the audit report prepared by a certification body (CB) for a second opinion on the level of compliance of the management unit concerned against the requirements of the MSPO standard used.

For evaluating each audit report (for Stage 2 and Recertification Audits), two peer reviewers are appointed by the CB, based on the issues raised during the audit of the management unit.

Peer reviewers have to confirm that the audit team has carried out an objective and professional audit against the MSPO standard, investigated the sources of data and avenues of enquiry, arrived at appropriate conclusion and recommendation based on available audit evidence and findings as well as to ensure that the audit team has prepared a concise and comprehensive audit report before the MSPO certificate is awarded.

On the first day of the training course, a number of modules were presented, including Requirements for the Accreditation of CBs Operating Oil Palm Management (OPM) Certification, Peer Review Process Requirements for CBs Operating OPM Certification, stakeholders’ consultation requirements during OPM Certification audits, elements of a comprehensive report, certification process and auditing procedures, role of peer reviewers as well as report writing methodology.

On the second day, modules on MSPO Standards and ethical responsibilities of peer reviewers were presented.

Participants are expected to understand the background and requirements of the MSPO Certification Scheme, certification process and auditing procedures, scope and role of peer reviewers as stipulated in the document Peer Review Process Requirements for Certification Bodies Operating Oil Palm Management Certification under the MSPO Certification Scheme, as well as equip themselves with a comprehensive understanding of the Principles, Criteria, and Indicators of the MSPO Standards used.

Basically, such training for peer reviewers is to enhance their competency to ensure that the audit report has the necessary factual evidence content to act as the basis for the award of the MSPO certificate to the management unit that has been audited.

At the completion of the training session, MPOCC CEO, Harnarinder Singh handed over certificates to all the participants.

MPOCC participated in the Malaysian Palm Oil’s 100 year celebrations on 18 May at Sime Darby Plantation Sdn. Bhd.’s Tennamaran Estate located at Bestari Jaya (formely known as Batang Berjuntai) in Selangor. The event attended by a crowd of more than 5,000 was officiated by the Prime Minister, YAB Datuk Seri Najib Razak. In his address, the Prime Minister also officially announced the implementation of mandatory MSPO certification by 31 December 2019. He further reiterated the future plans of the government to launch a mechanisation fund where it will work together with the private sector to conduct more research and development on mechanisation so as to make it more successful in Malaysia. MPOCC also set up an information booth during the event where publicity materials, including flyers and brochures, on the MSPO Certification Scheme were distributed.

TELUK INTAN, PERAK : The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme’s journey continued today with the holding of a briefing session at the Grand Court Hotel, Teluk Intan which was officiated by the Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC), YB Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong and attended by more than 200 participants made up mostly the oil palm smallholders.

The briefing is aimed to disseminate important information on MSPO Certification Scheme as well as a platform for interaction relating to MSPO implementation.

In 2016, Malaysia with 5.74 million hectares of planted oil palm area, is the second largest world palm oil producer with export value of RM67.6 billion that contributes 8.6% to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The palm oil industry is an important component of the agriculture sector in Malaysia and has been instrumental in addressing rural poverty and employment opportunities. This industry is important to the livelihood of more than 550,000 small farmers who accounts for close to 40% of the total planted area.

Whereas for Teluk Intan area, there is 108,538 hectares of total planted oil palm area under some 10,000 oil palm smallholders.

As of March 2017, the total planted area that has been MSPO-certified is 245,600 hectares covering the three regions of Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak. This certified area includes 238,545 ha under plantation companies covering 74 estates, 3,868 ha under two clusters of organised smallholders, and 3,187 ha under the independent smallholders from 14 SPOCs. Meanwhile, a total of 23 mills have also been MSPO-certified.

As announced earlier, the Malaysian government has made a proposal with regard to mandatory compliance of the MSPO certification in stages.

The government will soon be making available financial incentives to support the industry with the mandatory MSPO certification compliance processes.

Similar briefing will continue to be held nationwide this year with the target location where there is concentrated number of oil palm smallholders. This include Johor (Segamat and Kluang) in May, Selangor (Shah Alam and Bestari Jaya) in June, Pahang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Sarawak (Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri) in July, Kedah, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Perak and Sabah (Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Tawau, Lahad Datu) in August.

Meanwhile, in his welcoming remarks, MPOCC CEO Harnarinder Singh pointed out that the briefing at Teluk Intan was one of the many briefings held for the various stakeholders in the country, particularly the oil palm growers and millers, to raise their awareness and technical know-how pertaining to the MSPO Certification Scheme.

At the briefing session, presentations on MPOCC and the MSPO Scheme, standards used, certification of smallholder plantings under the Sustainable Palm Oil Cluster (SPOCs) system, and MSPO certification procedures were made.

The MSPO Certification Scheme was launched in January 2015. The scheme is implemented by the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC), an independent organisation set up in October 2015. Since then, the MSPO certification has been on a voluntary basis.

KUALA LUMPUR: MPOCC handed out a total of 1,000 pieces of hand towel to the participants at the finishing line of the 3km Earth Hour Night Walk 2017 on 25 March which was held at The Starling Mall in Damansara Uptown.

The annual event attracted some 2,500 participants, organised by WWF Malaysia and the city council in support of a sustainable future and action on climate change.

MPOCC participation in the national and global pledge to protect the planet through recognising energy-saving efforts as part of the sustainability effort and thus will increase awareness to other.

Prior to the walk kick off, MPOCC also set up a booth at the mall concourse area where participants get to take photographs at the photo booth with fun props.

Earth Hour is a global environmental initiative led by WWF where individuals, businesses, governments and communities where supporters were encouraged to turn off their lights for one hour on Saturday, 25 March at 8.30pm to show their support for environmentally sustainable action. All funds raised from the registration pack will be channeled to WWF-Malaysia’s conservation efforts.

At the same event, MPOCC also officially launched the photo and essay competition by distributing the competition flyers to the participants offering attractive cash prizes totaling RM5,000.

The first cash prize is RM1,500, followed by RM1,000 and RM500 for second and third place winners, respectively. There will also be a total of 10 consolation prizes at RM200 each.

The photo and essay competition is held in conjunction with the Earth Day celebration that falls on 22 April, aims to raise awareness among the undergraduates on the importance of sustainability in relation to palm oil industry.

The competition titled as ‘The 7 Principles of MSPO’ is open to all undergraduates attending universities in Malaysia with the submission entry due on 22 April 2017.

The competition require participant to take a picture and write an essay based on the picture relating it to any of the 7 Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification scheme principles.

The 7 principles of MSPO certification scheme can be found in the website www.mpocc.org.my.

Submission need to be sent through the email at maryam@mpocc.org.my. The competition result is expected to be announced on 5 May 2017.

About MPOCC MPOCC is an independent non-profit organisation established in December 2014 to develop and operate the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme. Incorporated as a company under the Companies Act 1965, it is limited by guarantee. MPOCC is governed by a Board of Trustees and started its operation in October 2015.

BERNAMA - KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) is optimistic over 4,000 privately-owned oil palm estates in the country will be ready for Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification over the next couple of years.

"We are targeting these estates to prepare them for MSPO certification," its Chief Executive Officer, Harnarinder Singh, told Bernama. Recently, the government announced its proposal to make it mandatory for industry players, including smallholders, to obtain MSPO certification in stages by the end of 2019. This move is to elevate oil palm plantations, including independent and organised smallholdings, and palm oil processing facilities, to meet sustainability standards in line with international requirements. Harnarinder hopes that this will make the planters and other industry players committed towards MSPO certification. As of February 2017, 245,315 hectares (ha) of oil palm planted areas, including 3,000ha by independent smallholders and 3,868ha by organised Felda smallholders, have been certified under the MSPO Certification Scheme. In addition, 23 mills in Johor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak have already been certified under the MSPO scheme, he said. Harnarinder pointed out that many large palm oil producing companies are interested and committed towards MSPO certification. As MSPO certification covers all aspects of the supply chain in the industry, it is necessary for smallholders and plantation estates to work closely together to qualify and be certified, said Harnarinder. "It is vital for Malaysian palm oil to be certified as this will enable the country's product to be recognised and sold in overseas markets that demand certified palm oil for their consumers," he said. The MSPO Certification Scheme is the national scheme in Malaysia for sustainability certification of oil palm plantations, independent and organised smallholdings, and palm oil processing facilities. On Feb 24, 2017, the government made a timeline proposal with regard to mandatory compliance of the MSPO certification in stages. Oil palm entities with RSPO certification have to obtain MSPO certification by Dec 31, 2018, while all other plantations and entities have to be certified by June 30, 2019. For independent and organised smallholders the timeline set is Dec 31, 2019. Harnarinder said the MSPO certification is useful and it is an assurance to the buyers and consumers that the palm oil used in the product originated from well-managed planted areas. "What we are doing now is, in collaboration with the oil palm industry's associations, to conduct awareness and technical briefing sessions so that their members gain a good level of understanding of the requirements of the MSPO standards and certification procedures," he said. On challenges, Harnarinder said, MPOCC is currently taking efforts, such as creating awareness and organising programmes to garner acceptance and recognition of MSPO certification by consumers, particularly in Europe and in other key markets for Malaysian palm oil. -- BERNAMA

MPOCC was invited to brief the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) Johor Branch on "Sustainable and Certified Palm Oil under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO): An Overview". The briefing was held after their Annual General Meeting on 9 March 2017 at the Mutiara Hotel, Johor Bharu, which was attended by 28 members. The members were informed about the need for palm oil certification, the establishment of MPOCC and the implementation of the MSPO Certification Scheme and its progress so far. The members were also informed about the proposed mandatory MSPO certification and implementation timelines.

MPOCC would like to take the opportunity to thank MPOA Johor Branch for the invitation and opportunity to brief its members on the MSPO Certification Scheme. MPOCC looks forward to working closely with MPOA Johor Branch in further implementing MSPO Certification amongst its members and getting more areas and mills MSPO Certified.

The annual event appropriately entitled ‘100 Years of Palm Oil in Malaysia More Sustainable Through Bursa Palm Oil Futures’ attracted about 2,000 participants, both local and international from the oils and fats industry from more than 50 countries.

POC is a networking platform for the exchange of ideas, solutions and trends regarding latest developments, first-hand knowledge and insights from top industry experts on the supply, demand and price outlook of the palm and lauric oils market amongst the delegates who hail from all parts of the world and from throughout the industry value chain.

MPOCC participated in POC for the first time since its operation in early 2016. The MPOCC Booth (No. 40) attracted a huge number of visitors who showed great interest in the operation of the MSPO Certification Scheme. Various brochures and flyers on MPOCC and the MSPO Certification Scheme, including information on the MSPO standards and certification procedures were distributed.

Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities YB Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong made an opening remark for the POC2017. During his tour to the exhibition booths after officiating the event, he visited MPOCC booth.

At the MPOCC booth, the minister YB was informed of the progress in the implementation of the MSPO Certification Scheme and the efforts taken to provide information to the relevant stakeholders, particularly to the smallholders.

In his opening remarks at the conference, YB Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong reiterated the earlier announcement regarding the proposed timeline towards mandatory MSPO Certification, with the larger plantation holding RSPO Certification to become MSPO certified by 31 December 2018.

He said that Malaysia will embark on the mandatory certification of certified and sustainable palm oil under the MSPO standard which has been developed taking into account of Malaysia laws and regulations including sustainability criteria. The scheme is implemented on a voluntary basis beginning 2015 will be made mandatory in stages starting 31 December 2018.

-end-

About MPOCC MPOCC is an independent non-profit organisation established in December 2014 to develop and operate the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme. Incorporated as a company under the Companies Act 1965, it is limited by guarantee. MPOCC is governed by a Board of Trustees and started its operation in October 2015.

KUALA LUMPUR: In celebrating the anticipating Earth Day on 22 April, Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) has soft launched a photo and essay competition on 23 February 2017 offering attractive cash prizes totaling RM5,000. The first cash prize is RM1,500, followed by RM1,000 and RM500 for second and third place winners, respectively. There will also be a total of 10 consolation prizes at RM200 each. The competition titled as ‘The 7 Principles of MSPO’ is open to all undergraduates attending universities in Malaysia with the submission entry due on 22 April 2017.

MSPO Standard is a series of standards issued by the Department of Standards Malaysia (DSM) that stipulates the general principles on certification requirements for oil palm smallholdings, plantations and palm oil processing facilities to ensure that the palm oil products are produced in responsible and sustainable manners.

The competition require participant to take a picture and write an essay based on the picture relating it to any of the 7 Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification scheme principles.

The 7 principles of MSPO certification scheme can be found in the website www.mpocc.org.my.

MPOCC aims to raise awareness among the undergraduates on the importance of sustainability in relation to palm oil industry.

Submission need to be send through the email at maryam@mpocc.org.my. The competition result is expected to be announced on 5 May 2017. For inquiries, please contact Maryam during office hour at +603-21810192.

KUALA LUMPUR: On Friday, the Malaysian government made a timeline proposal with regard to the compliance of the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification in stages.

The timeline for oil palm plantation entities that are already certified against the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standards will need to be certified against MSPO standard by Dec 31, 2018.

For oil palm entities without RSPO certification, the timeline to be MSPO certified is by June 30, 2019.

Meanwhile, the timeline for independent and organised smallholders to be fully certified under the MSPO certification scheme is by Dec 31, 2019.

The government will be making available financial incentives to support the industry with the MSPO certification compliance processes.

The aim of the set timeline is to expedite the implementation and in doing so to elevate the industry to the next level of branding Malaysian palm oil set against the MSPO sustainability standards.

The MSPO certification scheme was launched in January 2015. The scheme is implemented by the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC), an independent organisation set up in October 2015. Since then, the MSPO certification has been on a voluntary basis.

As of January 2017, the total planted area certified under MSPO is 221,575.14 ha covering the three regions of Malaysia i.e. Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak.

Please check MPOCC website and social media or call us during business hours at

+60 3-2181 0192. -end- About MPOCC MPOCC is an independent non-profit organisation established in December 2014 to develop and operate the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme. Incorporated as a company under the Companies Act 1965, it is limited by guarantee. MPOCC is governed by a Board of Trustees and started its operation in October 2015.

Putrajaya: A consultation session with various palm oil stakeholders on the Way Forward for Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification was held at Putrajaya Marriott Hotel which was organised by the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) in collaboration with MPOCC. The aim of the session was to gather feedback on the proposal to make MSPO certification mandatory for the palm oil industry in Malaysia, as well as to present the action plan for the MSPO certification scheme and the way forward.

The one day event was attended by more than 100 participants from various stakeholder groups representing the government, oil palm industry associations, environmental and social NGOs, academia, research institutes, indigenous peoples organisations and smallholders from the three regions; Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak.

The event was officiated by the MPIC Minister, YB Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong, who also attended the closing session to listen to the outcome and recommendations made by the participants.

In his opening remarks, the Minister sought the strong support of the oil palm industry to the proposal in making MSPO certification mandatory and charting the way forward in its implementation so that a large portion of the oil palm planted areas can become MSPO certified and allow for Malaysia to export a substantial quantity of certified sustainable palm oil in the coming years.

The Minister stressed that this year being the 100th year of commercial oil palm cultivation in Malaysia, it is therefore important to safeguard the palm oil industry and at the same time, to fulfill the increasing global demand for sustainable palm oil.

He also pointed out that the industry has come a long way, especially when Malaysia is the second largest world producer of palm oil after Indonesia; hence there is a need to safeguard and further alleviate the image of the industry to a higher level through mandatory MSPO certification.

MSPO certification has been developed based on Malaysian laws and regulations with the aim to assist oil palm plantations, palm oil processing facilities and specifically the independent as well as organised smallholdings to be certified against the MSPO Standards.

Following the opening remarks by the Minister, a total of five presentations were made to provide information on matters related to MSPO certification, promotion, smallholder engagement and auditing processes.

MPOCC CEO, Harnarinder Singh made the first presentation on ‘Way forward for MSPO as a mandatory certification scheme’, where he provided information regarding the projected target to supply 8.0 million tonnes of MSPO certified palm oil based on a total certified area of 2.0 million ha and 160 MSPO certified mills by the end of 2019. He also listed the resources that would be needed in order to achieve the projected target, including increasing the number of accredited certification bodies (CBs), trained auditors and peer reviewers.

The second presentation was by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) which provided information on the number of smallholders as well as the action plan with regard to their certification under the MSPO scheme.

The third presentation was made by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), identifying the challenges in positioning MSPO Standard among the internationally accepted standards such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), and the perceived advantages in branding the Malaysian palm oil through MSPO certification.

As one of the CBs to have carried out MSPO audits, SIRIM QAS International Sdn. Bhd. made the presentation on issues towards MSPO certification from a CB’s point of view, addressing auditor competency, organisation perception and legal compliance, along with the action plan to overcome the identified issues and challenges. The last presentation was by Wild Asia Sdn. Bhd. who provided an insight into the perception and reality of smallholders in Malaysia, and the possible impact of MSPO certification on them. The presenter also listed the possible solutions including building partnerships with well-known organisations and smallholder support programmes toward certification.

Following the presentations, the participants were divided into three discussion groups to deliberate and provide feedback on the timeline and issues and challenges in making MSPO certification mandatory, getting MSPO accorded international acceptance, and accelerating MSPO certification including parallel certification, outreach programmes, stakeholder involvement and incentives.

Based on the deliberations and outcome of the consultation session, further details pertaining to the decision to make MSPO mandatory will be announced soon.

MPOCC presented on the current hectarage of MSPO certified areas and approaches to further increase certified hectarage. In addition, Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), Department of Standards Malaysia (DSM) presented their roles, Key performance indicators 2017 and shared the challenges that they are facing in preparing the stakeholders for MSPO Scheme.

With the increase in demand of sustainable palm oil, no doubt that Malaysia is on the right track to ensure that Malaysian palm oil is certified sustainable. MSPO is the nation’s call to address the issue which has clouded the palm oil industry globally, and a sustainable palm oil practise is the answer to assure the market that Malaysian palm oil is certified sustainable. MPOCC as the scheme owner is working tirelessly in ensuring the industry to take up MSPO with the needed support from MPOB and DSM.

About MPOCC

MPOCC is an independent non-profit organisation established in December 2014 to develop and operate the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme. Incorporated as a company under the Companies Act 1965, it is limited by guarantee. MPOCC is governed by a Board of Trustees and started its operation in October 2015. MPOCC is responsible for the development of the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme in Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak.

Is your Palm Oil MSPO certified? If yes, congratulations. If no, let MPOCC get you started. Visit www.mpocc.org.my for more information.

On the 29 to 30 November, MPOCC presented the MSPO Certification Scheme at the National Seminar on Palm Oil Milling, Refining, Environment and Quality (POMREQ) 2016 which was held at Royal Chulan Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. The 2016 National Seminar on Palm Oil Milling, Refining, Environment and Quality is an on-going series of seminars organised specially for Malaysian personnel involved in the palm oil industry. The last seminar was held in 2014 and since then many innovations and technologies have been developed. This seminar will provide the right forum for the palm oil industry and R&D organisations to exchange ideas, to chart strategies for sustainable competitiveness and development of the palm oil industry in the global oils and fats market.

The 15th International Peat Congress (IPC), held in Kuching from 15 to 19 August, serves as a platform for the International Peat Society (IPS) to promote responsible management and wise use of peatlands and peat to all those involved and interested parties. It is a great platform for international research community, practitioner and relevant stakeholders to share findings and practice in peat land management.

Hosted by the Malaysian Peat Society (MPS) in partnership with IPS, the theme for this year’s 2016 congress is ‘Peat lands in Harmony – Agriculture, Industry & Nature’ attended by more than 700 delegates from 44 countries. Presentations will relate to an integrated global perspective for the responsible use of peatlands and the preservation of their unique dynamics and natural biodiversity.

As palm oil production has time again linked to abuse of peat land, it was important for MPOCC to attend this congress to not only learn the current findings and issues, but also to promote MSPO Certification Scheme and its role in preservation and sustainable peatland management. MPOCC was represented by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Harnarinder Singh, Dr. Sanath Kumaran, Chong Wei Kwang, Cheah Chi Ern and Tan Kai Yuuen.

To highlight the role MSPO have in peatland management, MPOCC submitted a paper titled “Oil Palm Sustainability Standards in Malaysia and Peat Land Management” and presented it as a one poster presentation during the congress for the viewing of the participants. MPOCC was there as well during breaks to be on standby to answer any questions participants may have regarding the scheme and its role in peat land management.

This year prestigious IPC Quadrennial marks as the first time where this congress have convened in South East Asia, outside of Europe and North America. The congress was attended by Minister of Plantation Industries & Commodities, YB Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong with his Deputy, YB Datuk Datu Nasrun Datu, and the congress was officiated by The Right Honourable Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Haji Adenan Satem, Chief Minister of Sarawak.

In April, MPOCC Chairman YB Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang accompanied the Malaysian delegation led by MPIC on a mission to Brussels and Paris to meet and discuss, amongst others, issues related to the French Government’s proposed bill to raise the tax on uncertified palm oil imported into France. As Malaysia is the second largest palm oil producing country in the world, there is no doubt that the trade and export of Malaysian palm oil to France, and effectively to the European Union, will be adversely affected. There is also the fear of a domino effect within the members of EU if the French Government goes ahead to support the proposed bill. The meetings therefore provided a good platform to the Malaysian delegation to relay the various concerns and present the potential negative impact to the Malaysian economy if such an initiative materialised.